The past twenty-five years have seen players come and go but there are not many who become superlatively famous for their ability from free kicks. Above all else, possession of the accuracy required to consistently hit the net from a strange angle, and a vast distance, is a rare gift. These three players, of Premier League years past and present, all set the world alight with their skills from dead ball situations. The first needs no introduction…
David Beckham (Manchester United: 1995-2003)
Beckham’s free kick technique was almost a weekly talking point amongst pundits, back in an era when the Premier League trophy belonged to Manchester United and nobody else. In the ever-evolving world of sports science, it has gone through more types of analysis than any other signature move in the modern era of football.
His technique operated a simple three-point plan: ‘jump’, ‘lift’ and ‘firm’, all of which happened in the space of a second to devastating effect. Firstly, Beckham would reserve the greatest leap forward until last, ensuring that he could maximise on the kinetic energy of the kick and send the ball in a more deceptive trajectory – hence the ‘bend’.
He would also lift his kicking foot as far as humanly possible behind him to increase the potential distance he could hit the ball. Finally, his knee of his non-kicking leg would firm up, transferring all of the power into his kicking leg. The result was the ‘perfect’ free kick, which is still today practised to death by every young wannabe footballer in the country.https://www.youtube.com/embed/T-7WtArP0a4
At 4:11, David Beckham scores his final goal for Manchester United in his own inimitable way.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United: 2003-2009)
Manchester United were not to be bereft of a free kick expert for very long. No sooner had the suave David Beckham departed for Real Madrid, he was replaced by a buck-toothed, mop-haired teenager by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo. According to this Betway blog, agents are always keen to place their hottest prospects in a club that can offer regular Champions League football.
Ronaldo’s was no exception, and the sight of the handsome Portuguese several years on, adopting his signature wide stance before a free kick against Portsmouth, in a 2-0 win, as reported by BBC Sport, is now an iconic image. Along with his sensational scissor kicks, Ronaldo’s signature ‘open-bodied’ stance is far from a gimmick.
On the contrary, it is a device that has evolved over the years, with the more even distribution of body weight from the kicker always leaving goalkeepers to guess as to which way they should pounce. Ronaldo’s linear approach requires a greater degree of backlift on the free kick for it to work as desired.
To achieve this, Ronaldo (in contrast to Beckham) remains in close proximity to the ball at all phases of the move, keeping his non-striking foot in line with the ball in lieu of jumping into the kick itself. https://www.youtube.com/embed/5WmpgeY7tow
Ronaldo scores against Portsmouth
Willian (Chelsea: 2013-present)
Just two years into his Chelsea career, Willian had gone from a relative unknown on the shores of Britain to the best set piece expert in the entire continent. As reported by ESPN, one of his most recent strikes of note was a stunner in the 4-2 win over Tottenham in this year’s F.A Cup semi finals.
His free kick style is based on calculation rather than instinct and, although this can sometimes sacrifice power in favor of accuracy, the goalkeeper is always kept guessing as to whether the ball will be floated in or hit straight at goal.
Willian’s ability to calculate the trajectory of the ball in such a masterful way also means that he can reserve a greater quantity of the speed and power for the forward kicking motion. As a result, the almost casual ‘flick’ he pulls off can force defenders in the wall to mistime their jump. In turn, this can unsettle the defence inside the box and unsight the goalkeeper.
In essence, Willian’s free kicks can create a domino effect that uses the opposing defence’s trepidation against itself. https://www.youtube.com/embed/vdjfKuhzzZc
Here, Willian shows his sublime, calculated free kick technique.
The Future
The 1990s and early 2000s were all about power and craftsmanship but, with all Premier League squads now fully international in their makeup, a wider range of free kick techniques is now on display.
Subsequently, footballers of the future have more choice than ever when it comes to unsettling the opposing wall. With this growing sense of unpredictability, free kicks are far from a dying art. In fact, they are set to remain one of the most unpredictable and entertaining elements of the beautiful game.
